Monday, August 16, 2010

We actually learned about this pool from my brave little friend, Sam. His dad and mum had been exchanging e-mails, and he told mum about this great pool!

Mum couldn't believe she had never heard of the pool since it had been in operation for over a year now. This is me with Jacqueline, she's the pool owner as well as me and Sam's water therapist!

The pool is only 20 mins away from our house (well, mum drives fast, so fast that she got a ticket going there once. (mum: I was going 70 km/h in a 50 km/h zone....) And 5 mins after getting the ticket, she missed a sign that said no left turn between 3-6pm, and she made a left turn at 3:02pm. Guess what? There was a police man waiting there for her!!! (mum: I honestly did not see the sign because our appointments were always before 3, so I have always turned left there without a problem. The police car was just parked there flagging down all the cars that turned left at that intersection...) When mum handed the policeman her driver's license, she also handed him the fresh ticket... I guess he felt bad so he said one ticket a day was enough and let mum go.)

Swimming is excellent form of exercise for me according to mum. It helps relax my muscles, helps my arthritis, and it also helps with my back issue,

Jacqueline throws my Aire Dog tennis ring and stick for me,

I go fetch them,

And bring them back,

Since I am SuperSMART, I find the easiest route back (less exertion you know?),

(mum: She figured out the bench route very quickly, so now I have to go stand in the water on the bench to block her from cheating!)

I take breaks while Jacqueline does lymphatic drainage massages on me,

Manual Lymphatic Drainage is a form of massage that stimulates the lymphatic system with gentle massaging strokes. The light rhythmical massage encourages the lymphatic system to eliminate metabolic waste products, excess fluid and bacteria. The technique was invented by massage therapists Dr Emil and Mrs. Estrid Vodder in the early 1930s.

The effects of Manual Lymph Drainage are numerous and include general benefits to the nervous and muscular systems. MLD is a great addition to other detox measures, as it encourages fluid flow in the connective tissues.

The lymphatic system is composed of lymph vessels, lymph nodes, and organs. Part of the body’s defense system, the lymph nodes remove microorganisms and other foreign substances. They act as a filtration system that keeps particulate matter, such as bacteria, from entering the bloodstream.

Stimulating the lymphatic system through manual lymphatic drainage will activate all of the above functions as well as encourage fluid circulation and cell regeneration. Both actions promote detoxification, facilitate healing and support the immune system.

“The lymphatic system has a vital role in the body by regulating the immune system, which protects the body against infection. It transports nutrients to cells and eliminates metabolic wastes, toxins and excess fluids from the body. Manual lymphatic drainage is also a very effective way of detoxing the body plus stimulating vital immune defenses. This is a powerful, deep cleansing treatment.” Explains David Goddard, ND

After my swim, I usually go dry myself against the wall followed by taking mum's pouch outside to dig for treats,

I am having 2-3 swims there per week because mum is trying to get me to lose weight. I don't mind, its a SuperNICE pool and Jacqueline is SuperGOOD to me because she likes me A LOT! (mum: Atypical Cushings has made it very tough for Sunshade to lose weight despite the exercise she gets....)

Special Note:

Me and mum would just like to thank all of you for the comments made (blog + chat box), and good thoughts sent in the last post. I feel very fortunate to have so many hoomans and K9 friends thinking about me and wanting me to get better. Mum is very grateful too, so THANK YOU!

To Pat (with Shelties I think?),

Even tho we don't know you, we really appreciated your words. There's no way for us to thank you via blog comments, so we are thanking you publicly...

To Sharon (from Singapore) and YL,

Thank you for your good wishes on the grooming biz. I will get mum to look into shapes for the biz card Sharon! YL, we tried to leave you a comment but wordpress wouldn't let us.

To Nelson & Boober,

Thanks for following my blog! Even tho you don't have a blog, I feel like I am getting to know you guys more and more via the comments you make (Good job Boober on the garbage on the bed trick!!!). You have the BESTEST mom (and fastest). Good luck to her on her up coming races!!

Count me in for a meet-up - I would love to finally meet the SuperDALE and Landshark in person!!

For Jemma, the size of dog does not matter. She is never really ecstatic to see/meet other doggies (except for Chis). She is snobby like that, preferring humans over other dogs :X I think the right term is that she merely *tolerates* them.

She also reacts differently to different dogs. I have observed her and she tends to "get along" better with female big dogs because most of the ones she's met are more calm and reserved than males who tend to chase her around, lol.

Just wanted to warn you so you don't take it personally! :)

Having said that, I would love to do a meet-up regardless of what Jemma thinks, haha, so...we're going!

We are leaving on a trip on the 29th though, so perhaps sometime before then or when we get back in September?

Miss Sunshade, you're so lucky to have your very own pool!! That swimming looks like lots of exercise. I don't blame you for wanting to relax a bit by using the bench. Those ladies you train with are very tough. Maybe you can convince them you need to sit by the pool with a cocktail to rest between laps. That's what the humans do ;)

A POOL!!! Look at you swim Miss Sunshade. Boober say's you swim way better than I do being a retriever :) What a great city you live in with all that stuff available for doggies. Mum say's one day we'll get our own blog. I think she has a hard enough time keeping up with her own.

Sunshade, the pool looks like a great way to spend the day! Our mom's very first Aire-girl had Addison's and our vet tested Penny for Cushings, but the results were inconclusive. Her symptoms finally went away, so we don't know WHAT was wrong! We're sending lots of Aire-zen for you!

Hi Miss Sunshade - yup, your mom is a "smart cookie" too. "Pat" is also Sam's dad. I can tell that Sunshade loves the pool and Jacqueline. In just about every picture there's a great big smile on Sunshade's face. This kid's a "happy puppy" and in our heart-of-hearts, isn't that where we want all our kids to be?

how fun! and look how smart you are using the bench to get back! hehehe.

about the holiday weekend... we dont have set plans as of yet, but there is bumbershoot going on and theres a few bands i want to see so we may be staying in seattle. we probably wont be making a vancouver trip til next year seeing as football season is starting up soon and nothing will pull jason away from the tv during football season. (eyeroll) hehehe

I'm sowwy I haven't visited in a while..how wondewful to see you swimming and getting massages and good excewcise..I know it will help you get betew..youw mom is the BEST!!!My Daddi lost his job and we awe in a vewy bad sitoation , so if i don't wite it's not cause I don't think of you and stinky..I do and send you lots of smoochie kisses and loveASTA

About Me

Hi everybody, my name is Sunshade and I am a 13 year old SuperDALE. The reason I'm a SuperDALE is because I am extremely smart and am always there for my mum (ie, when she locked me and the car keys in the car, I unlocked the car door for her)!
Mum got me as her 16th B-Day present from grandpa and we've been inseparable ever since. I saw mum through high school graduation, moved from Victoria to the big city - Vancouver with mum, went to many of mum's lectures with her, and finally saw her through university graduation.
Words cannot describe the bond mum and I share. It is truly a once in a life time connection that we have with each other. Mum says I'm her "one in a million soulmate", I think so too!!!
Here are some basic information about ME:
***Breed: Airedale Terrier ***Registered name: Loc Aire's "Sunshade"
***Date of Birth: November 25th 1999 ***Birth place: Port Angeles, WA ***Current age: 10 years old ***Hometown: Victoria + Vancouver B.C. ***Weight: 63 lbs